someone has taken my place
by beware of trips
Summary: The number one way to make time pass on slow news days.


It's the kind of rain that doesn't seem to let up. The Riverdale Register is on the corner of Main and Spruce - one of the busiest intersections in the sleepy town - but the only person Hal's seen walk by in the last hour was Ms. Jenkin's and her awful poodle, strutting by in matching yellow raincoats. Alice's eyes nearly rolled out of her head as she excused herself to finish organizing the storage closet.

Slow news day.

Hal leans back in his desk chair and raises his coffee cup to his lips, only to remember it's empty. He tears his eyes away from the window. At least putting on a fresh pot would be something to do.

Alice's hand pushes him down by his shoulder as he tries to get up. He didn't even hear her come back into the front room.

"More coffee?" she asks. Her voice is high and sugary sweet and she's switched out her red lipstick for pink. He can't be sure, but she seems to have doubled up on eyeshadow as well. She smiles at him. "I just put on a fresh pot."

"I can get it myself, Alice."

"Alice?" She frowns at him, but reaches to take his cup. "Nonsense. It's what I'm here for."

Her shoes click across the office. Hal spins his chair around to look at her walking away. She had abandoned her rainboots by the front door when they got to work and slid into a pair of flats, yet there she was in heels. When she turns back to him, he notices the top two buttons on her blouse are undone, exposing her cleavage. She catches him staring as she walks back to him.

"Here you go." She hands him the mug with two hands and watches as he takes a sip of it. She bites her lip waiting for his response. "How is it, Mr. Cooper?"

"Perfect." Ah. Mr. Cooper. Now he gets it. He racks his brain trying to think of a good name for her - it's been ages since they've done this with no prep - and settles for her middle name. "Thank you, Suzanna."

"Perfect," she repeats. She stands up straight and folds her hands behind her back, shoving her chest out. Her eyes travel to the ceiling. "I mean, it's probably not as good as your wife's coffee though, huh?"

He regards her over the rim of his mug as he takes another sip. "It's even better."

Alice blushes at that and Hal, as always, is amazed at how great of an actress she is.

He's still pushed a foot away from his desk. Alice takes advantage of this and sits on the corner. She crosses one long leg over the other and leans back with her hands flat on the desk. She sighs.

"Does she know about us?" she asks softly.

Hal takes a long sip off his coffee and takes in his wife. One of her heels bounces impatiently near his left arm and he lets his eyes slowly travel up her long legs. No pantyhose today. Her legs were always one of his favorite things about her, back to when she sat in front of him in sophomore English class. That was the year she seemed to exclusively wear her track shorts or fishnet stockings. Between her bare legs and her long, curly hair spilling over his desk, it was a miracle he learned anything that year.

"Does who know what, Suzanna?"

"Alice!" The name comes out with such contempt, Hal has to hold in his laugh. "Did you - does she know that trip to New York wasn't for business?"

He places a hand on her bare knee, just inches from where her skirt has ridden up. "No idea."

Alice swallows at his touch, staring down at his hand. "Does she know what you're up to when you say you're working late?"

"I'm working, of course." His hand goes higher until his fingertips are just touching the hem of her skirt. "Taking care of you is still work you know."

Alice - Suzanna - tosses back her head and lets out a laugh. "Mr. Cooper, behave. I just want to make sure she's not going to come barging in on us one day." Hal pushes her skirt up just a bit more. "Like that time we were at the motel and someone knocked on the door? I almost had a heart attack. I really thought it was her."

"She'll never catch us." He shoves the rest of the skirt up, exposing part of the serpent tattoo on her thigh. "Don't worry."

"Now, now, Mr. Cooper. If you're going to get fresh we really ought to get out of here."

"Me? Get fresh? Never." He gets out of his chair and stands right in front of her. "What is this?"

Alice looks down at her thigh and nearly breaks character. Her lip twitches but she brushes it off and meets his eyes. "A very foolish mistake I made as a girl."

"I like it." He traces the snake with his fingers. Alice squirms. "Although it is a little unprofessional to have it exposed in the office."

"You'd be surprised how many people love to get a good look at it." Hal takes his hand off as Alice uncrosses her legs. He plants his hand back in the same spot, fingertips just crawling under her skirt. "I had a boyfriend in high school who used to call that tattoo by the most filthy name."

He takes the bait. "What's that?"

"Target practice." Hal feels his face heat up. Her eyes dance under the layers of eyeshadow and she's pinching back a smile. "You know. Pull out and you have a perfect place to aim for." She reaches to him and gives his collar a tug. "Target practice."

"Right." He's straining against his pants already. "I guess I'll have to try that one for myself."

He slides his hand between her legs, ready to shoved aside the barrier of fabric. Instead, his fingers slip right inside of her. She lets out a moan and grabs the other side of his collar, pulling their faces together. She tries to kiss him but he pulls back just out of her reach, taking in the look on her face. He curls his fingers as she spreads her legs further apart.

"My, my Suzanna." Alice closes her eyes as he speaks. "Not wearing panties to the office is very unprofessional. I'm not sure if I can look past this one."

"I misplaced them," she gasps, hands still clutching his collar. Her hips raise off the desk in response to his touch. "I must have left them in the storage room while I was cleaning it."

"Oh Suzanna." He uses his free hand to push her chin up and he plants his face on her neck, nipping at her lightly. "What were you doing taking your panties off back there?"

She lets go of his collar and leans back on the desk. He gets one sloppy kiss on her collarbone before she's too far away. "They were all wet."

Hal feels her clenching around his fingers and slows down. She lets out a noise of protest. "How did they get wet?" She tries to take his hand, but he grabs her wrist and pins it down against the desk. Her eyes pop open and they're dancing again. "Were your touching yourself back there? At work?"

She nods and he slows down even more. She lets out a whine. "Please, don't stop."

"Tell me what you were thinking of."

"I was remembering my first day here, Mr. Cooper." Her voice is throaty, low. "You pulled me into that room, bent me over a stack of copy paper, and fucked me until I cried your name out." He picks up speed with her answer and she tosses her head back. "I don't even think you knew my name yet, but you fucked me like you'd been waiting years for it. I can't even go in that room without remembering."

"Is that's what this is all about?" He lets go of her wrist and she grabs the front of his shirt, pulling him closer. "You want me to fuck you in the supply room?"

She shakes her head, curls swinging back and forth. "No. I want you to fuck me right on this desk, Hal."

"Hal?" He pulls his fingers out of her, relishing in the whimper that escapes her mouth. "Suzanna, that's Mr. Cooper to you."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Cooper," she pants. He rests his hand on her inner thigh, only letting his thumb rest on her clit. He rubs it slowly as she pulls him in for a kiss. He turns his head before their lips meet. "Why won't you kiss me?" she whines.

"I don't want to ruin that pretty lipstick of yours." He rubs her slowly and slips his index finger back in.

Her hips thrust. "You wouldn't be complaining if I messed up my lipstick doing something else, would you?"

Hal laughs. "Why? You going to crawl under my desk while the intern's unjamming the copy machine again?"

"Make me come and we'll find out."

Another finger and it only takes a few more seconds before she's clutching his shirt with both hands and crying out, "Mr .Cooper!"

As she collects herself, Hal slowly licks each of his fingers clean of her. She tries to take his hand, but he holds back.

"Sorry. This is for me, Suzanna."

"You'll need something more than that." Alice unfastens his belt and sticks her hand in his pants before he can protest. She takes him in her hand and smiles as she strokes him. "My, my. You're all ready revved up and ready to go."

Hal leans against the desk to steady himself. "Let's go to the supply room."

"No," Alice says suddenly. "Here. On the desk."

"Anyone could walk in -"

"It's pouring out," she insists. "No one is looking in here."

She shoves his pants down a little more and exposes him. There's something surreal about his wife pulling his dick out in their workplace. His heart races, but he's not complaining. Alice wiggles her skirt up higher and slides to the end of the desk.

He finally kisses her on the lips. She grabs his dick as they kiss and wills him inside of her. He breaks away.

"I guess I should get a condom."

Alice shakes her head. "Mr. Cooper, no. I want to feel you."

He takes her chin in his hands. "I'm a married man, Suzanna."

"Uh huh," she huffs. "And does your wife make the pizza guy wear a condom whenever he comes over?" The pizza guy. Another of their regular games. "I know she doesn't. Probaby lets him come right in -"

She opens her mouth again, and he clamps his hand over it to keep her quiet. He slips inside of her and only lets go of her mouth when she wraps her leg around his middle, her heels clacking together behind his back.

Alice lays back, her face lost in bliss as he pumps in and out of her. Her hair fans out on his desk, just as it did in sophomore English.

It doesn't take much for her to come again. He follows not long after, forgetting all about Alice's cheap shot about target practice. She pulls her skirt down as she jumps off the desk and takes his elbow as he's zippering up his pants.

"Clean you up?" Her sugary voice - her Suzanna voice - is still on. She licks her lips as he eyes him. Hal laughs and shakes his head.

"I don't want to ruin your lipstick, hun." He shakes his head. "Suzanna."

She leans up and kisses his cheek. "I need to get the girls from school soon anyway." And with that, she slips back to being his wife. To being Alice Cooper, writer for the Riverdale Register and mother of two. Not Suzanna the secretary, on the prowl for some afternoon delight. "I don't want them walking home in this."

"Of course." He buckles his belt and takes a seat. His coffee is still warm. "What were you thinking for dinner tonight?"

She pauses as she takes off her heel. "Well, if the girls go out tonight, I wouldn't mind pizza again."


End file.
